There is a narrow corridor [Siliguri Corridor] that connects India’s northeast with rest of India. If someone takes over this corridor that they can effectively block this region or even break this region apart from India.
A few kilometers north of this region sits the Doklam plateau near the trijunction of India, Bhutan and China. About 100 years ago an agreement was made to draw the borders and there is ambiguity in the text regarding who owns the plateau. Bhutan and India think it is owned by Bhutan. China thinks it is hers.
Recently, China started building a road in this region and that has sent alarms ringing in Bhutan and India. For Bhutan it is a mere part, while for India it is something that can strangle its Siliguri corridor. Thus, India made a far bigger noise than Bhutan and started putting its troops there.
China reacted to India’s entry and started putting its own troops and there was a risk of a war as neither side wanted to back down.
India told China that if it doesn’t stop the road work it would boycott the BRICS summit to be held on September 3 in China. If India backs out, the whole summit also involving Russia, Brazil & South Africa would have to be cancelled and that would be a big shame for Xi Jinping.
Thus, both sides met and India sent its “James Bond” Ajit Doval to broker a deal. China promised to stop the road work in the region and both countries pulled back its troops. For India it is a victory as the road work could threaten its corridor and for China it is a victory that they were able to get the Indian troops back off without firing a gun.
Disaster averted and the question of who owns the plateau is postponed to future.
Source: https://www.quora.com/profile/Balaji-Viswanathan-2
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